Jfk Inauguration Speech Analysis

John F. Kennedy will always be remembered for two things; his triumphant inauguration and his tragic assassination. After being sworn in, Kennedy gave the traditional inaugural speech. He addressed America, as well as the rest of the world, to inform them what his intentions were during his presidency. By referencing current events such as the Cold War, he was able to identify dilemmas in need of a remedy. Kennedy's overall message was meant to inspire his nation and convey strength and hope to the world abroad. At the beginning of his speech, Kennedy condensed his message. He stated the problems in need of fixing during his presidency while also proposing solutions for them. By doing this, Kennedy was able to evoke confidence from Americans that he will follow through with his claims. Kennedy used anaphora, allusions, and emotional appeal to create an effective argument in the first half of his inaugural speech.

President Kennedy always wanted above average and never wanted to settle for good, but for greatness. His inaugural address was his first step into greatness. He was a firm believer in unity and being together as one in this country. Throughout his short, but successful presidency, he shows how important togetherness is to make the country strong. January 1961, John F. Kennedy became the 35th president of the states and was giving his inaugural address. John F. Kennedy’s pathos, logos, and repetition in the speech allow the American people to be eager for his presidency and allow them to see the changes he foresees for the country during his term.

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech is was one of the best speeches ever written. It wasn't just remembered for the length of the speech, but it was remembered for the speeches content . Kennedy said that he will unify the United States of America and the whole world. Kennedy also says that he will not allow the enemy to threaten the U.S. or its allies. Through the use of ethos, logos, and pathos, Kennedy strongly tells this message to the American people and to all the leaders of world.

With the Vietnam War affecting so many people across the world, Kennedy took extreme caution in what he said. His use of pathos includes many patriotic expressions and words to unite Americans. His phrases like “forge against these enemies,” (Kennedy par 23) “cultural and spiritual origins” (Kennedy par 6) and “a celebration of freedom” (Kennedy par 1) imply that the war is not simply a political issue, but a moral responsibility. On the other hand, though these phrases offer a feeling of civic duty, nothing compares to the legendary quote: “Ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country” (Kennedy par 25). This message is so powerful because it speaks of

Through his use of the anaphora, John F. Kennedy implies that a part of his vision is to unify the country and the world under a banner of fearless peace. As an example, he addresses the world, piece by piece, “To those…, we pledge...”(2). The antecedent to which “those” refers varies, but it always retains a respectful tone of logos, occasionally supplemented by pathos due to specific wording. For instance, “sister republics”(2) creates a sense of family, leading to a pathos appeal. One of the “pledges” Kennedy makes is in the form of an anaphora too: we will “help them help themselves, for whatever period is required -- not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right” (2). With this assertion, Kennedy emphasizes that the United States has no ulterior motives for

Robert F. Kennedy tried his hardest to unite people with this speech about the Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. He wanted every American, whether they are black, white, hispanic or middle eastern, to acknowledge the lack of compassion, love and unity in our nation.

There have been many great speeches delivered in the past. Some of the best ones demonstrated why our our freedoms, our liberty, and to be united as a country, is so important. John F. Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address” and Martin Luther King Junior’s “I Have a Dream” are both great examples of such historical speeches. Both these speeches have many similarities such as, referencing the past, wanting change to happen, and both desired peace. Yet with all these similarities, each one had a different style, was given to different audiences, and about different topics. In Kennedy’s “Inaugural Address”, he is expressing how the country needs to be united and “…anew the quest for peace” (11), with our enemies. King’s

In John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, he says, “if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” He also states the importance of helping others around the world who do not have freedom. John F. Kennedy wanted to create peace with all nations before everything would be destroyed by a nuclear war. Lastly, he tells the citizens of the United States and other people from different nations that they have the ability to determine their own success or failure.

One of the most influential presidents in United States history, John F. Kennedy was a brilliant politician and public speaker. In his inaugural address, he sparked hope around the world by discussing the hardships faced by all of society in the present time and then leaving them with a message of freedom, power, and hope. This measure of impact is not achieved easily; Kennedy masterfully utilized the art of rhetoric to emphasize his message and win the hearts of his people. In the middle of the speech, he discusses the dangers of the modern world and his drive toward international peace and cooperation. These messages are stressed through his use of charismatic language to signify his vision of a new and better world.

     John F. Kennedy may me most memorable for with eloquent speeches. He was a good spokesperson, proving himself right off the bat with his inaugural address in 1961. These speeches instilled support and confidence in the hearts of those who listened. One can see how these feelings might come about in this quote by the President in 1963. "What kind of peace do we seek? Not a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. Not a peace of the grave or the security of the slave. I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope to build a better life for their children-not merely peace for Americans, but peace for all men and women: not merely peace in our time, but peace for all time."

The Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961, was written to notify the American people with not only the hopes and dreams that Kennedy had for the country, but how he was going to accomplish them. Inside Kennedy’s, Inauguration, 50 Years On, is the explanations of numerous people on what

John F Kennedy’s inaugural speech is widely considered one of the best speeches ever given. By the time Kennedy was elected, he had earned a degree from Harvard University, spent time in the Navy during the Second World War, and was already enjoying a successful political career serving in both houses of Congress. Kennedy delivered his eloquent inaugural speech to thousands of people on the steps of the Capitol building and millions more watching the broadcast on television which was the first to be shown in color. Something that I believe that he did better than other political speakers is that not only did he attempt to comfort his audience of the fear of the spread of communism, but he also successfully maintained the same tone throughout his speech; not only did that make his speech easier to comprehend and well received but it has continued to inspire generations since. Ultimately, the newly elected president delivered one of the most quoted and well known inaugural speeches to date.

and the Soviet Union had been stockpiling nuclear weapons, about to plunge the world into nuclear warfare, this time it was known as the Cold War. John F. Kennedy had not wanted the United States to engage in the war believing that it would destroy our country. In contrast to Roosevelt’s belief that war was necessary, Kennedy wanted a more peaceful resolution to the nuclear warfare surrounding America. “Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us,” (J.F.K. 16). Kennedy had wanted the opposing sides to come together to find a peaceful solution. He wanted the opposing sides to come together and unite, instead of trying to blow each other away. He wanted the opposing sides to come together and lay down their weapons, perhaps to forge alliances. He did not want the opposing sides to invoke the terrors of nuclear weapons and fight each other, all in contrast to Roosevelt’s opinion that war is the answer. Kennedy speaks of freedom that goes back to the Revolutionary War, “And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe-the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God,” (J.F.K. 3). He speaks of freedom and rights as something that comes from God, not something that comes from the government. Kennedy states that

Kennedy begins his speech expressing how “the world is very different” from what it used to be. He uses multiple rhetorical strategies that express and describe how he is going to lead their “very different” country by providing his audience with a sense of community. For example, Kennedy applies juxtaposition to his phrase, “United there is little we cannot do… Divided there is little we can do…” to compare what America can and can’t do when everyone is united. During the time when Kennedy was elected president, the Cold War was at peak of its period. He bravely announced that “we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty,” using the rhetorical strategy asyndeton. He uses this particular mechanism to attract his audience and give emphasis to the ideas he wants to communicate. He starts the phrase off with “we,” as he wishes to convey to his listeners that we are going to pay any price, that we are going to bear any burden, that

"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country," is a well-known quote among Americans that has so much meaning behind it. John F. Kennedy was a president for the United States and loved among many American citizens. His speeches were always thought out and used many rhetoric devices to reel his audience in. Therefore, making his speeches brilliant and known the citizens of America. By going over the main points of rhetoric JFK used in his innagural speech like antithesis, pathos, and the theme one can realize how deep the speech actually is.